Cycling event to stop in Oxford

OXFORD — This fall’s annual Cycle North Carolina Mountains to Coast Bike Ride will be making an overnight stop here.

Susan Ball, tourism director for Granville County, gave a report on the news to Oxford’s commissioners Tuesday. More than 1,000 cyclists are expected to camp at Hix Field and the gymnasium in downtown Oxford on Sept. 30.

An Alive After Five event is scheduled to coincide with the event for downtown entertainment.

Ball also shared with commissioners the N.C. Hot Sauce Contest in September has been designated a top 20 event by the Southeast Tourism Society.

The board called for three public hearings to take place in conjunction with the May 13 meeting.

The first public hearing will consider a proposal to amend the section of the Oxford Zoning Ordinance that requires a minimum width of 26 feet for driveways for unified housing and business developments.

The second public hearing will consider a request to rezone 930 Lewis Street from R-A (residential-agriculture) to B-2 (highway business).

A third public hearing was scheduled in connection to commissioners accepting a certificate of sufficiency for the petition of Pearl M. Torres for voluntary, non-contiguous annexation of 1008 Lewis Street.

The board adopted an ordinance and modified the city’s policy related to filling of private pools. The changes allow a once-a-year exemption from the sewer charge for residents who fill their swimming pools. However, residents may request the city to fill a pool for a $200 fee plus cost of the water at the bulk rate.

The commissioners appointed Recreation Director Christine Usry to the Granville County Tourism Board to fill the vacancy that occurred when Mary Caudle retired as recreation director.

Commissioners also adopted a resolution supporting immediate removal of coal combustion waste from the Dan River near Eden. On Feb. 2, a spill of coal ash from the Duke Energy plant polluted the river.

Commissioners made three appointments: John B. Hardy to the Zoning Board of Adjustment for a term expiring in February 2015; Vincent Gilreath to the Planning Board to complete a term expiring in June 2014; and George Summers to the Community Appearance Commission for a term expiring in February 2017.